Barnsley fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Cambridge United on Friday afternoon.
Maël de Gevigney’s first half own goal was added to after the break by Gassan Ahadme’s header to ensure the U’s left Oakwell with all three points in Sky Bet League One.
With ten minutes on the clock, we had a glorious opportunity to take the lead when Jordan Williams surged down the right flank and fired a low ball across the box that ricocheted into the path of Nicky Cadden, who could only fire wide with the goal gaping.
The Reds would rue that missed chance as, moments later, de Gevigney’s backpass to Liam Roberts was too far wide of the goalkeeper and time stood still as the ball trickled agonisingly into the bottom corner.
Cambridge almost doubled their advantage just before the half hour mark as Danny Andrew’s free-kick from an acute angle was tipped over by Roberts, with Ryan Bennett seeing his header from the resulting corner ruled out for a foul.
Another gilt-edged chance went begging when the stretching John McAtee hit the post from a couple of yards out after Josh Earl’s inviting cross had evaded Devante Cole in the middle.
Shortly before the break, Will Mannion in the visiting net was finally tested by Adam Phillips, whose powerful effort was palmed away after being expertly picked out by Luca Connell.
HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0-1 Cambridge United
The second half offered little in the way of improvement for the Reds, who failed to carve out any real scoring opportunities. There was a lot of build-up play down the flanks, with balls fired across the face of goal but to no avail.
Pushing forward in search of a leveller, McAtee took aim from distance and stung the hands of Mannion as Barnsley were restricted to long range efforts by a resolute United defence.
But it was the visitors who would score that all-important second goal when Andrew whipped in a free-kick to the back post that Ahadme powered in off the post.
That proved to be the last real action of the encounter as we never mustered a response and will now have to regroup ahead of Easter Monday’s trip to Burton Albion.
FULL-TIME: Barnsley 0-2 Cambridge United
REDS XI: Roberts (GK), Williams (C), de Gevigney, McCart (O'Keeffe, 57), Earl, Cadden (Cotter, 82), Connell, Phillips (Watters, 81), Kane, McAtee (Cosgrove, 67), Cole.
Not used: Killip (GK), Russell, Grant.
CAMBRIDGE XI: Mannion (GK), L Bennett, Andrew, Digby (C), R Bennett, Brophy (Kachunga, 81), Kaikai, Taylor (Ahadme, 54), Cousins, Gibbons (Rossi, 81), Jobe.
Not used: Chadwick (GK), Okenabirhie, Lankester, May.
